Lowbrow Alert: Libertine Bar’s July 4 Brass Knuckle Corndog Beatdown

Yesterday, plucky intern Kelsy McCraw attended the Libertine Bar’s July 4 Brass Knuckle Corndog Beatdown (hey, somebody had to do it). Read on for her report, if you dare. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…

With 2:39 left in the competition, the first contender to loose her stomach in the Libertine’s Brass Knuckle Corndog Beatdown rushed outside, yarked, then returned to finish 13 corndogs in 15 minutes.

Jump to read on, if you dare…

“That puke was for America!” said Gavin Mulloy, master of ceremonies for the Libertine Bar’s 3rd Annual Brass Knuckle Corndog Beatdown. Sadly, despite her contribution, she didn’t even place.

Jesse Hughey, aka The Human Trash Compactor, did. He stuffed down 19 corndogs—that’s nearly 5,000 calories—in 15 minutes and walked away with a $100 bar tab for his first-place finish. Spectators, some standing on bar stools for a better vantage point, wore expressions of awe and disgust.

How did Hughey feel after the contest? “Terrible,” he said. “But, it’s not really painful so much as it’s uncomfortable.” And why the masochism? “The bar tab. This is my favorite bar,” he said, and as a side note, “it’s about willpower, as well.”

Hughey’s family came to the Libertine for support. “I’m so proud of him,” his mother said, only half-jokingly. His 9-year-old son carried a sign displaying “Eat ‘dem weenies Daddy!”

This was Hughey’s third time participating in the Libertine’s event, and his third time placing. In 2009, he placed first with 16 dogs, and in 2010, he placed second with 18. He says some “pro of a kid” came in and beat him last year, but that he didn’t see him this year. “He can’t even use the bar tab!” he exclaimed.

With 5,000 calories in this stomach, you’d think it’d be days before Hughey could look at food again, but he says he is usually back to normal by the next day. “I’ll actually be starving because my stomach will be so stretched out.”